Expecting the Unexpected
by Kristen3
Summary: AU take on "Mary Richards Falls in Love." After breaking up with Joe, Mary finds herself in a very surprising situation. How will she react, and how will she manage to tell the people closest to her what's going on? Inspired by Hippiechic81's story, "A Baby Changes Everything." Rating is for adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is an idea that came to me randomly, after reading Beth ( **Hippiechic81** )'s story, "A Baby Changes Everything." As I thought about it more and more, I knew I had to do it! I hope to get more up ASAP! I'm sorry to end it here for now, but I won't keep anyone waiting forever. :)

Mary stared at the test, unable to believe what she was seeing. Her heart pounded, and she wasn't sure if she could stand. But, as the shock wore off, she realized that the thin blue line wasn't going away. She was pregnant.

"How did this happen?" she asked aloud, although she knew the answer. Birth control pills usually kept her cycle regular, as well as preventing this situation from occurring. But, she hadn't been taking them quite as much lately. Her dating life wasn't always that exciting, which made the pills seem rather unnecessary. That had all changed a few months ago when she met Joe. He was unlike the men she'd dated previously. He was sweet and thoughtful. Things were going along perfectly, until the night she surprised him at his apartment. Mary knew she could never forget the moment when she discovered he wasn't alone. She'd tried to forgive his mistake, but found that her trust was broken beyond repair.

That had been about a month ago. Lately, she'd begun to feel tired and achy. At first, she'd chalked it up as a routine virus. But when she missed her period, she knew there was another, much scarier possibility. Now, that possibility was a very frightening reality.

Slowly, Mary's rational mind kicked in. She needed to talk to someone. Though she usually talked her problems over with Georgette or Mr. Grant, she knew neither one could help her at a time like this. She made her way out of the bathroom and back to the living room, going straight to the phone. She dialed without giving a thought to the time difference. "Please be home, please be home," she whispered.

"Hello?" Rhoda said as she answered the phone.

"Rhoda, it's me….Mary." She laughed nervously.

"Oh, hi, kid. How are you?"

"Oh, fine. There's just one little problem. You know how I haven't been feeling well lately? Well, I got a home pregnancy test, just to make sure that wasn't what it was. I mean, can you picture _me_ pregnant?" Once again, she forced a laugh.

"It was positive, wasn't it, kid?"

"Yeah," Mary said. "What am I going to do?"

"Wow. Have you told anyone yet? Like, you know, the father?"

"No. Oh, Rhoda, how am I going to tell Joe? I told him I never want to see him again. Now I'm carrying his baby!"

Rhoda sighed. "That's not going to be easy. But you know me, I'd probably just go over to his house and blurt it out. That way you can't lose your nerve."

"That makes sense," Mary said. She imagined the scene. Even thinking about it scared her to death. "I can't do that," she said.

"Kid, you can't _not_ tell him. This is pretty big news!"

"I know that. But I mean I really can't. I just remembered he's out of town for some big construction job. He was telling me about that right before….you know."

"Oh," Rhoda said. "Well, that complicates things a little. But it does buy you some time to figure out how to break it to him."

"But how can I go around for the next couple of weeks with this secret? I can't even think about putting on a news show with something this big on my mind!"

"You don't have to go through this alone," Rhoda said. "I know I'm here in New York, but you know you've got people out there who love you too, you know. Like Georgette and Murray. And Lou."

"How on earth do I tell Mr. Grant I'm pregnant?!"


	2. Chapter 2

Mary went back to work on Monday as usual. She hoped that being in the familiar setting, surrounded by her friends, would help put her mind at ease. "Good morning, Murray. Is Mr. Grant in?"

"No. You know he's always late on Monday mornings," Murray replied. He looked at Mary. "Are you all right?" Something was clearly different in her expression.

"Yes, of course. Everything's fine," Mary answered automatically. She sat down at her desk, still doing her best to act normal.

"Are you sure you're OK?" Murray asked.

Mary forced a laugh. "Of course I am. What makes you think I'm not?"

Murray rolled his eyes at her. "I've been sitting next to you for six years. I can tell when something's bothering you. And it's got to be something big, because you need to discuss it with Lou, right?"

"I do want to talk to Mr. Grant when he gets in, but it's nothing big, I promise you." Mary hated lying to Murray, but she just wasn't ready to tell him yet. She still had no clue how she was going to tell Lou. All she could hope was that she'd find the words when she needed them.

Just then, Lou walked into the newsroom. He mumbled a "hi," barely glancing at them. When he went into his office and closed the door, Mary immediately got up to follow him.

"Mary, if you go in there now, Lou's going to kill you," Murray said. "You know he hates people bothering him on Monday mornings! Last week, he threatened to murder Ted, and _then_ fire him!"

Mary forced a smile at Murray's joke. She still wanted to go into Lou's office. She put her hand on the doorknob.

"Please, don't go in there," Murray said, making a last effort to stop her, though he knew she wasn't going to listen. He sighed as she opened the door. He could only hope that Lou would be gentler with her than he had been with Ted.

"Mr. Grant?" Mary said as she walked into his office.

Lou looked up when she said his name. He seemed to be in bad shape, even for a Monday. "What is it Mary? It's about all I can do not to die right now."

"W-well, I know you aren't feeling well, but I really need to talk to you. It's sort of important."

For a moment, Lou didn't answer. He took a deep breath, somehow managing to look a bit more like himself. "What's the matter?"

Mary took her usual seat across from his desk. "Well, you remember, Joe, the guy I was seeing?"

"Joe?" Lou asked, confused.

"You met him, remember? At that party of mine?"

"Oh, right. The toucher. I thought you broke up with him after you caught him with another girl."

"I did," Mary said. "But I found that I still have something of his."

"Well, can't you just return it to him?" Lou asked.

"I would, Mr. Grant, but it's a little more complicated than that. I guess there's no easy way to say this, so I'll just get right to the point. I took a home pregnancy test yesterday, and it came back positive. I'm….I'm going to have a baby." It was the first time she'd said those words. To her surprise, she liked saying them.

"You're pregnant?!" Lou asked. "What are you gonna do? Does Joe know? Are you two getting back together?"

"I haven't told Joe yet. Just you and Rhoda, so far. I can't get in touch with Joe at the moment; he's out of town. I thought maybe if I told you first, you could help me figure out how to tell him."

Lou shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know if I'm the person you should be asking. I didn't even like when my daughters told me they were gonna have a baby, and they were married! This is kind of a delicate thing. You have to tell Joe eventually, though. He deserves to know."

"I know that, Mr. Grant. I'm just not sure how he's going to react. I did break up with him, after all."

"Right," Lou said, nodding. "Well, you know we'll do everything we can to help. If you need time off for doctor's appointments and such…."

"Thank you, Mr. Grant. I appreciate that. And please, don't tell Murray or Ted. I want to tell them myself. I don't think that's going to be easy, but I don't have much choice. Murray already knows something's wrong. And Ted…..he'll probably say something stupid and thoughtless."

"Mary, Murray will be shocked, but I know he'll be behind you a hundred percent, whatever happens. As for Ted, well, yes, he's going to say something dumb, but we're all used to that by now. I'm sorry I can' t give you more help than that."

"No, it's all right. I know how you hate discussing personal things. This is about the most personal thing I've ever had to tell you. I guess I'll go out there and tell Murray now. If I can find the words..."

She got back up and walked to Lou's office door. She knew Murray had probably been more interested in what she'd been saying to her boss than his work. And when she told him what was going on, it would probably change the close relationship they'd had for the past six years.


	3. Chapter 3

Mary walked out of Lou's office, forcing a smile.

Murray looked up the moment he heard the door open. "Well, did Lou solve your problem?"

"No, not really," Mary said. "It's not exactly a simple thing."

"Well, if you want another opinion, I'm all ears. Whatever your problem is, it's got to be more interesting than the possible decline of vegetable prices. I'm sure that's interesting if you're a farmer, but..." Murray shrugged. His job could be awfully routine sometimes.

"Murray, I'm pregnant."

"What?!" Murray did a double take. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure. I mean, I took one of those home-pregnancy things."

Shock was visible on Murray's face. But he quickly recovered. "That's wonderful! Oh, Mary, your baby's going to be so beautiful!"

Mary smiled. She could hardly believe that there was another human being inside her. Without thinking, she placed a hand on her stomach, almost imaging that she could feel a kick.

Murray leaped up from his chair, hugging her tightly. "Congratulations. I mean, I know this has to be sort of unexpected for you, but it's really a miracle."

"Thanks." Mary found that she could hardly keep the smile off her face. For a moment, it felt good not to think of Joe and all the uncertainty ahead. All that mattered was that she was going to have a baby. She could just imagine a pink nursery.

The blissful moment was broken by a deep voice. "What's everybody so happy about? Did our ratings go up?"

"No, Ted," Murray said, exasperated. He started to say something more, then caught himself just in time. This was Mary's news, and it was her place to decide if she wanted to tell the anchorman.

Mary felt both men's eyes on her. "Ted…..I'm going to have a baby."

"How on earth did that happen?"

"Ted, you _know_ how it happened," Murray exclaimed. "It doesn't matter how, anyway. The important thing is, she's having a baby."

"Wait a minute," Ted said. "Georgette doesn't know about this, does she?"

"No, Ted, I haven't had a chance to tell her yet."

"Well, geez, Mary. How could you not tell Georgette? You know she thinks of you as her best friend. I would think I'd be enough for her, but apparently she needs girlfriends too. Go figure." Ted rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I only found out myself yesterday. You, Murray and Mr. Grant are the only ones I've told so far. Besides Rhoda."

"OK, Mary, if that's how you feel." Ted acted like a stubborn child.

"I'll tell Georgette later. She's meeting you here tonight after work, right?"

Ted nodded. "I'm taking her out to dinner tonight. I found a coupon for a fast-food restaurant, so I thought I'd treat her!"

"All right, then. I'll let her know tonight. Now all I have to do is figure out how to tell Joe."

"Well, if Joe has any sense at all, he'll be thrilled," Murray said. "What man wouldn't want to have a baby with you?"

Mary smiled, grateful for his compliment. She was incredibly relieved that Murray had taken the news so well.

The day went on as usual, except that Mary often caught Murray staring at her and smiling. He was acting almost as if she were carrying his baby. It made her feel a bit uncomfortable, but she knew he was only doing it because he was so happy for her.

Mary was concentrating on a news story when a familiar voice came into the newsroom. "Hi, everybody! Is Ted here?"

"He should be coming out of the studio any minute," Mary said. "I'm on my way out as soon as I finish this."

Georgette nodded. "Ted hasn't taken me out to dinner in so long. Usually he's too tired when he gets off from work."

"It's more likely he's too cheap to take you out," Murray said.

Mary gave him a slightly exasperated look, although she knew Murray was probably right. Then she looked back at Georgette, realizing she'd better tell her friend the news now. "Um, Georgette, I kind of have something personal to tell you. I hope you won't mind that you weren't the first person I told."

Georgette smiled. "Of course not, Mary. Whatever it is, I understand."

"Good," Mary said. "You remember Joe, that man I was seeing? Well, I wasn't feeling too well the past couple of weeks, so I got one of those home tests. And, well…..I'm going to have a baby."

"Oh, Mary!" Georgette squealed. "That's wonderful!" She quickly hugged her friend. "Oh, I'll have to call Rhoda tonight. I know she's all the way in New York, but I bet she'll want to come back for a baby shower!"

Mary hadn't even thought about a shower. Nor did she have any idea how she would acquire most of the baby items she'd need. A baby shower sounded perfect. "Well, I'll leave it to you and Rhoda to set that up. I promise I'll even act surprised when I show up." She gave Georgette a grateful hug.

Just then, Ted finally emerged from the studio. "So, Mare, did you tell Georgette your secret?"

"Oh, yes," Georgette answered. "Rhoda and I are going to plan a shower. Mary, you're going to be a wonderful mother, I just know it!"

"Yeah," Ted agreed. "Now all you've got to do is tell Joe, so this kid'll have a father, too."

Just like that, the reality of Mary's situation hit her once again. Why did the most exciting thing to ever happen to her also have to be so complicated?


	4. Chapter 4

The next several days were among the most difficult Mary could remember. Her friends were beyond supportive, trying to help her focus on the positives in the situation. But, as the days wore on, she began to worry more and more about how she would break the news to Joe. She never pictured herself having this conversation with an ex-boyfriend. She'd always thought she'd have a husband and a child, in that order. Apparently, fate had another plan in mind.

She began driving past his apartment building on her way home from work. It was the only way she could think of to find out when he returned from his business trip. When she noticed his car in the parking lot, she parked next to him. If she allowed herself to think about what she was doing for even a moment, she would chicken out. So, she walked to the door and rang the bell. Immediately, she flashed on the last time she'd done this. That night had ended in tears and heartbreak. It was still hard to believe that one moment could've changed everything so fast. Now, things had changed in an even more unbelievable way.

When Joe opened the door, it was hard to say who was more surprised. "Mary! What are you doing here? Are you all right?"

"Well, it's interesting you should ask that question," she answered, smiling nervously. "May I come in?"

"Uh, sure, but this isn't really a great time….I'm meeting someone." He checked his watch.

Mary couldn't deny that his response hurt. She stepped inside, pretending not to know that the "someone" was most likely a woman. But that wasn't the most important thing right now. "Remember the last night we were together? I mean, before...you know?"

"You mean, before you caught me seeing another woman?" Joe asked.

"Right," Mary said. "That was a pretty special night."

"Yes, it was. Where are you going with this? I hate to rush you, but I do have to meet someone in just a few minutes."

"OK, then, I'll just cut to the chase. I wasn't feeling too well last week, so I took a home-pregnancy test, just so I could rule that out….."

Suddenly, all the color seemed to drain from Joe's face. "Oh, Mary."

Mary nodded. "Yes. I know this isn't really an ideal situation, but it's the situation we're in. I know we aren't together anymore, but I don't think I want to do this alone." She had always thought of herself as an independent woman, but she knew that had to change.

"Right. Of course. I wouldn't abandon my responsibilities. I know I'm not perfect, but I wouldn't do _that._ "

"I didn't think you would," Mary said, feeling immensely relieved.

"But, on the other hand, how accurate are these home tests?" Joe asked. "I mean, maybe we're getting ourselves worried here for no reason."

"Joe, are you saying...you hope I'm _not_ pregnant?" Mary could hardly believe what she was hearing.

"I know it sounds terrible, but, to be honest, yes. Since you left, I've found that my life is pretty good. I don't really have commitments. I'm upfront with the women I date now. I know that doesn't work for everyone, but I'm enjoying it."

"I see," Mary said, although this was something she'd never anticipated. She'd known Joe would be shocked, but she thought he would at least be hoping for a child. Even just a little bit. It was all too clear that wasn't the case.

"Look, you'll go to the doctor, just to make sure. I'll even go with you if you like."

"No, that's all right. I'll go by myself." Even though Joe was standing in front of her, and there might be another human being inside her, she'd never felt so alone in all her life.

The next day at work proved even harder than the last week had been. After Murray tried several times to get Mary's attention, she realized she wasn't going to get much done here. When she asked Lou if she could leave early, he readily agreed. When she got home, she placed a call to her doctor. Luckily, the office wasn't busy, and she was told she could come in as soon as possible.

Mary wasted no time in getting to the doctor's office. After checking her blood pressure and heart rate, the doctor asked why Mary had come to see him.

"Well, I took a home pregnancy test, and it came back positive. But I'd really like to know for sure."

The doctor smiled. "Of course. A simple urine test can tell us if you're about to become a mother. We can have the results in a couple of hours."

"OK," Mary said. She suddenly felt very nervous, realizing that the results of this test could change her life completely. She was given a specimen cup and quickly provided a sample. She handed it to a nurse. "Well, what do I do now?"

"Just go home and relax for a few hours, and we'll call you when we have the results." The woman smiled, obviously trying to put Mary at ease. But nothing could calm her anxiety.

Mary returned to her apartment, not sure what to do to pass the time. She considered going back to the newsroom, as it wasn't very late yet. But that would lead to questions she didn't want to answer. She tried reading a book, but couldn't concentrate. She thought of calling Rhoda again, but she knew her friend was probably working. She wanted to clean, since that usually comforted her when she was upset. But, of course, there wasn't much to clean.

After what seemed an eternity of pacing, the phone finally rang. She answered on the first ring. "Hello?!"

"Miss Richards, I'm calling with the results of the pregnancy test you took earlier."

"Yes?" Her heart seemed to be pounding out of her chest.

"Well, the test was negative. You aren't pregnant." The nurse seemed unsure of what reaction to expect.

"I'm not?! But the test I did at home was positive. How can that be?"

"Home tests aren't always accurate. These things happen, I'm afraid."

"OK, well, thank you for calling." Mary hung up the phone, feeling numb. She had been so sure there was a baby inside her. In the back of her mind, she'd even begun thinking of names.

As the initial shock wore off, Mary thought of what Joe had said. He clearly wasn't ready for fatherhood. Maybe it was better this way. She hated the idea of him feeling obligated to her for the sake of a child. She took a deep breath, feeling her usual optimism returning. This was a hard blow, but it wasn't over for her. Someday, she might still get to have a baby. And it would hopefully be a better situation than this would have been.

She decided she would visit Joe one more time tonight, to tell him the news. It would give them a chance to say goodbye for good. At least she'd gotten some closure with the way things had ended. It wouldn't be easy to tell her friends about this. Georgette wouldn't get to plan a baby shower after all. But she would promise her friend one thing: when the time came for her to have a shower, there would be no one else she'd rather have in charge of it. Baby or no baby, Mary knew that the one thing she could always count on in her life was her friends. As long as she had them, she knew she'd make it after all.

 **The End**


End file.
